Maryland and Virginia Real Estate and Homes Blog

SO YOU WANT FEEDBACK FROM ME? 

GOOD FOR YOU!  I’m willing to help, but, don’t make it so hard. 

I’m a confessed feedback skeptic, myself, but I’m always willing to help a fellow agent.  If listing agents have been convinced that they need feedback to sell a property, so be it.  However, if agents want feedback on property showings, why do they place so many barriers between the listing agent and the showing agent????? 

HEY!  I’M HERE!  PICK UP THE PHONE AND GIVE ME A CALL. 

MY BUYERS ARE SERIOUS AND QUALIFIED.  I am working with some lovely buyers to whom I sold a home in Charles County ten years ago.  Normally, a Southern Maryland buyer would be referred to an experienced agent in my network.  However, since these folks are old clients, I’m up.  It was very nice renewing an old friendship. 

THEY HAVEN’T DECIDED ON THE AREA.  Mrs. Buyer works in DC around 19th &E.  Mr. works in Tysons Corner, VA.  So, we’re looking at several areas and transportation is critical.  A one hour commute is fine.   Two weeks ago, we toured Woodbridge, VA.  Last Sunday, we toured homes in Charles County, MD.  They don’t yet know where they wish to buy.  They just know that they need a larger home, with a basement, large kitchen, large master bedroom, and a 2 car garage.  The smallish home they now own in Waldorf was purchased when the wife was still in the military and they expected to be here only 3 years.  They have no basement, a small kitchen and a 1 car garage.  Ten years later, they are still here and want a bigger and newer home.   We toured about 4 new home builder models and 3-4 resales on Sunday. 

THE FEEDBACK CALLS HAVE BEGUN

Last evening I got a loooooong phone message asking for feedback on one of the resale homes we toured.  The street name was in the message.  So, I looked up the listing and, for the life of me, I couldn’t recall the appearance of the interior.  I remember two homes in that area.   One is very nice and the other was not.  How could I leave meaningful feedback? 

Sadly, there were no interior photos in the listings.  Further barriers to meaningful feedback were:

1.  The call was not from the listing agent.  Are they too busy?  How long does it take?  If the listing agent had called, I’d have returned the call and asked for a general description of the interior.  Then I could have advised that:

• Wonderful house.  The house is very nice, clean and presents well.  My buyers are considering it but they are not near a decision and have many more homes to preview before making a decision. 

OR,

• Would not consider.  The house has dirty carpet, warn hardwood in the breakfast area and foyer.
• The back yard is a swale only 8 feet from the basement door making the back yard useless.  No deck. 

2.  The caller left a number to call for feedback that only takes messages.  If feedback is important to anyone, the listing agent or someone who has seen the house should be making the call or receiving the messages. 

FEEDBACK CAN BE USEFUL.  I recall one feedback call from a listing agent that resulted in my buyers making a successful offer on the property.  The listing agent called to find out what my buyers thought of the property and after some conversation, it became clear to me that my buyers could make a successful offer.  The buyers were out of town and based on the conversation with the sellers agent, we made that property the #1 of 3 homes on which they would make offers. 

If that agent had simply had an assistant or service leave a message with a feedback phone number, I doubt that they’d have purchased that property since it was on the high end of their price range, which, of course means overpriced.

I REMEMBER WHEN FEEDBACK CALLS WERE MADE BY THE LISTING AGENTS.  We would have a conversation about the property.  If there was any buyer interest, I would get helpful details such as the Sellers’ need for closing dates, etc.   Sometimes terms and conditions are more important than price.  You can’t learn anything by simply leaving a feedback message number.

ANOTHER BARRIER TO FEEDBACK.  If history prevails, about 3 weeks from now, I’ll probably get a feedback call for a house we toured last Sunday.  The feedback call will probably come from an assistant who has never seen the house. 

Courtesy, Lenn Harley, Broker, Homefinders.com, 800-711-7988, E-Mail.